South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann presents a copy of Liz Caffery’s limited edition photobook “Poppies For Remembrance” to Premier Campbell Newman (Photo: SBRC)

September 17, 2014

Nanango historian Liz Caffery’s limited-edition photobook “Poppies For Remembrance” has another reader:  Premier Campbell Newman.

A copy of the book, which catalogues the visit to Dodewaard by a South Burnett delegation earlier this year to honour Murgon airman Patrick Tiernan, was presented to the Premier by South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann last week.

The Mayor was visiting Brisbane to lobby for South Burnett projects, and took the opportunity of a short appointment with the Premier to make the presentation.

“I congratulate Mayor Kratzmann for this wonderful initiative that pays tribute to the servicemen and women from the region,” Premier Newman said.

“It is a wonderful, poignant memento of an important relationship forged between Belgium and Holland communities and those from the South Burnett.”

The book was officially launched at a special ceremony in Kingaroy in July this year attended by members of the Dodewaard delegation and descendents of South Burnett Anzacs who were honoured during the trip.

Apart from visiting the graves of Patrick Tiernan and fellow airman Alfred Burns at Dodewaard, the delegation also visited the Buttes, Menin Gate and Tyne Cot war cemeteries to place poppies on the graves of South Burnett servicemen.

The trip was later tinged with tragedy when Patrick Tiernan’s niece Sr Philomene Tiernan was killed after her Malaysian flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine while she was returning to Australia.

PS. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss also unexpectedly received a copy of “Poppies For Remembrance” when he visited Murgon State High School earlier this week.

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